Harvesting

Harvesting is the process of collecting the mature rice crop from the field. Paddy harvesting activities include reaping, stacking, handling, threshing, cleaning, and hauling. These can be done individually or a combine harvester can be used to perform the operations simultaneously.

It is important to apply good harvesting methods to be able to maximize grain yield, and minimize grain damage and quality deterioration.

Bagging - putting the threshed grain in bags for transport and storage

Traditional harvesting activities such as field drying and stacking/piling are not recommended because they can lead to rapid quality deterioration and increased harvest losses.

Besides these, a variety of other activities can be included in harvesting such as gathering, reaping (gathering standing grain by cutting), bundling, and various forms of transporting the crop and grain.

Harvesting systems

Click to zoomHarvesting systems vary from region to region. A wide variety of traditional and semi-mechanical tools, or combine harvesters may be used.

Guidelines on proper harvesting

Regardless of the harvesting system used, it is important to ensure that good grain quality is preserved during harvest operations and harvest losses are kept to minimum.

To properly harvest your crops, make sure to:

Harvest at the right time with the right moisture content.

Correct timing is crucial to prevent losses and ensure good grain quality and high market value. Grain losses may be caused by rats, birds, insects, lodging, and shattering.

Harvesting too early results in a larger percentage of unfilled or immature grains, which lowers yield and causes higher grain breakage during milling.

Harvesting too late leads to excessive losses and increased breakage in rice.

Harvest time also affects the germination potential of seed.

When to harvest

Depending on the growth duration of the variety, harvesting time should be around 110−120 DAS for direct seeded rice, and 100−110 DAT for transplanted rice.

To determine if the crop is ready for harvest, check for the following indicators:

Moisture contentGrain moisture content ideally is between 20 and 25% (wet basis). Grains should be firm but not brittle when squeezed between the teeth.Harvest at minimal surface moisture (e.g. from previous rainfall or early morning dew). Read: Measuring moisture content in harvesting

Ripe grains per panicleHarvesting should be done when 80−85% of the grains are straw colored (i.e., yellow-colored).

Number of days after sowingGenerally the ideal harvest time lies between 130 and 136 days after sowing for late-maturing variety, 113 and 125 for medium duration, and 110 days for early-maturing varieties.

Number of days after headingFor dry season harvesting, an optimum time is 28−35 days after heading (emergence of panicle tip from leaf sheath). In wet season harvest, optimum time is 32−38 days after heading.

Avoid delays in threshing after harvesting.Threshing should be done as soon as possible after cutting to avoid rewetting and to reduce grain breakage.

Grain cleaning will improve the drying, the storability of grain, reduce dockage at time of milling, and improve milling output and quality; while, seed cleaning will reduce damage by disease, and improve yields.